Sectional,folding,combination dumbell-bar bell

ABSTRACT

A dumbell-barbell with two or more separate, collapsible containers which are filled as desired with fluid. These containers are suspended below opposite ends of a sectional bar to which they are fastened by bearings which allow the completely assembled sectional bar to rotate. The lateral movement of the containers is restricted by retainers on the ends of the bar. For compactness, the sections of the bar separate, and the containers are removable.

Unite States Patent 1 Baker et al.

[4 1 Dec. 25, 1973 SECTIONAL, FOLDING, COMBINATION DUMBELL-BAR BELL [76] Inventors: Richard E. Baker; Elizabeth F.

Baker, both of 2701 Arlington Blvd. No. 101, Arlington, Va. 22201 [22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 302,904

[52] 11.8. C1. 272/84 [51] Int. Cl A631) 11/02 [58] Field of Search 272/84; 128/363, 128/364; 272/84 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,270 7/1962 Winer 272/84 460,270 9/1891 Somerby 272/84 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 252,502 3/1927 Italy 272/84 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerJoseph R. Taylor [5 7] ABSTRACT A dumbell-barbell with two or more separate, collapsible containers which are filled as desired with fluid. These containers are suspended below opposite ends of a sectional bar to which they are fastened by bearings which allow the completely assembled sectional bar to rotate. The lateral movement of the containers is restricted by retainers on the ends of the bar. For compactness, the sections of the bar separate, and the containers are removable.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure WJENTEU DEC 2 5 I975 SECTIONAL, FOLDING, COMBINATION DUMBELL-BAR BELL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to exercising devices and more particularly to a dumbell-bar bell combination comprising liquid in separate, flexible containers fastened to opposite ends of a sectional bar, all of which can be unassembled by hand into its separate parts and folded into a light, compact unit for storage, carrying, or transporting.

It is often desired to carry exercising devices such as dumbells or bar bells while travelling. The weight and bulk of such items available at present generally precludes their being carried while travelling.

Dumbells and bar bells shown in the prior art are not provided with sectional bars which can be unassembled and arranged into compact units separate from the flexible containers which are filled with liquid to serve as weights, and they are not provided with such containers which can be folded into flat and compact units separate from the bars or which can be mounted below and on opposite ends of a sectional bar in sets of two or more; furthermore such containers shown in prior art are not designed to be generally as soft and flexible as those of this invention and are more likely to cause injury or damage to persons or objects.

The invention disclosed herein provides an apparatus with separate containers which can be assembled quickly with the sectional bar and filled to a desired level any place where water or other suitable liquid is readily available. The flexible containers for each dumbell-bar bell combination can be filled for the weight desired within the liquid capacity range of the containers. The bar can be assembled quickly by coupling together the sections by hand, and it can be fastened to the containers through rings or loops on their upper surfaces. This invention thus provides a safer and more convenient substitute for the conventional type dumbell or bar bell. Since the containers, when filled as desired, are soft and flexible they are not very likely to cause injury to persons or damage to objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, the invention comprises a sectional bar in which each of the end sections supports, and is fastened to, one or more flexible containers which can be filled to any desired level with water or other suitable liquid and in which the center section(s) comprise the portion by which the dumbell-bar bell combination is held. The end sections of said sectional bar are fastened to opposite ends of the center section(s) with coupling devices to which they are screwed or otherwise secured thereto by hand. No tools are required for assembling or unassembling. The center section of the bar can be covered with flexible material to provide a comfortable handheld. Each of the flexible containers is fastened to one of the end sections of said bar with two, flexible rings or loops, each of which passes around said end section of the bar and is bolted through or otherwise secured to support points extending up from the upper surface of the flexible containers. Said rings are slightly loose on the end sections of said bar so that when the dumbell-bar bell combination is raised or lowered the containers which are filled as desired are suspended below said bar which can be rotated freely within said rings. This design allows for a curling action of the wrist.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a combination dumbell-bar bell which can be assembled without tools and used for exercising wherever water or other suitable liquid is readily available to pour into the flexible containers which, with the sectional bar, will serve the functions of a conventional dumbell or bar bell, and it can be unassembled quickly into its separate parts and arranged into a light, compact unit for storing, carrying, or transporting easily.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an exercising device with weights which consist of water or other suitable liquid within flexible containers which are also soft when filled as desired with said liquid and are not very likely to cause injury to persons or damage to objects.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an exercising device with weights which consist of water or other suitable liquid within flexible containers so that the total weight can be adjusted accurately to any point from a near minimum to the maximum by means of the amount of liquid used, and the capacity and number of containers used.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon a detailed description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view through the center of all components from the sectional bar down through the containers.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 the exercising device is shown in longitudinal view through the center of all components from the general level of the bar down through the containers which are filled with liquid and serve the function of weights and thus showing sections through the centers of all items, 1 through 31. The support points 6, 18, 21, and 14 of the containers shown at 1 and 26 are provided with holes through which the bolts at 7, 19, 22, and 15 connect the rings 8, 20, 23, and 16 to said support points. Said rings encircle the end sections of the bar at 9 and 13, and are retained laterally between retainers at 5 and 17 and couplings at 12 and 12A. Said retainers and couplings are screwed to the ends of the bar sections along the threaded areas at 4, 27 and 28, 29, 30, and 31 respectively. The end section of the bar at 9 is screwed to the center section at 11 by means of coupling 12 on threaded areas 28 and 29. The end section of the bar at 13 is screwed to the center section 11 by means of coupling 12A on threaded areas 30 and 31. The center section of the sectional bar at 11 is covered with a flexible material at 10 to provide a more comfortable hand-hold. The rings at 8, 20, 23, and 16 allow the sectional bar at 9 and 13 to be rotated freely within them so that the containers at 1 and 26 are always suspended directly below the bar sections at 9 and 13 while being used for exercising due to the suspension design and due also to gravitational forces. The containers at l and .26 are filled with water which was poured in through apertures with externally threaded necks at 3 and 24 and closed with matched internally threaded closing devices at 2 and 25.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that other means, such as tubular sections, could be provided for holding containers 1 and 26 under the end sections 9 and 13 of said bar. Such tubular sections could be attached to or formed with said support points 6, 18, 21, and 14 of said containers. Support points, such as those at 6, 18, 21, and 14 could be confined between retainers made in the form of collars, flanges, adapters, or couplings held in place with locking mechanism on end sections 9 and 13 of the sectional bar. Said containers 1 and 26 could be made of plastic or other suitable material which is flexible and will fold easily. The closing devices at 2 and 25 are conventional screw type caps, but they could be made in the form of frictional type closing caps or in other forms. Said bar could be made of many sections to provide convenient hand-holds in the center portion and to provide adequate distance between containers, or sets of containers, suspended below the end sections at opposite ends of said bar so that the resultant form would resemble that of a conventional type bar bell, and the function would be the same as that of a conventional type.

While the invention has been described with particu lar reference to a safer and more portable combination dumbell-bar bell with separate and flexible containers which can be filled with liquid and a separate, sectional bar it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the preferred embodiment thereof by those skilled in the art to accomplish the safety of the flexible and soft containers and the novel convenience provided by the light, compact, folded, complete unit without departing from the concept of the invention as disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A sectional, folding, combination dumbell-barbell comprising:

a bar made of sections joined together end to end to form a rigid straight bar, means connecting said sections whereby said bar may be easily disassembled; at least two collapsible containers each provided with means by which said containers may be filled to any desired level with fluid, means connected to the exterior periphery of each container for rotatably journalling and removably suspending containers from each end of said bar.

2. A sectional folding, combination dumbell-barbell as defined in claim 1 including at least one retainer on each end of said bar for limiting movement of said means. 

1. A sectional, folding, combination dumbell-barbell comprising: a bar made of sections joined together end to end to form a rigid straight bar, means connecting said sections whereby said bar may be easily disassembled; at least two collapsible containers each provided with means by which said containers may be filled to any desired level with fluid, means connected to the exterior periphery of each container for rotatably journalling and removably suspending containers from each end of said bar.
 2. A sectional folding, combination dumbell-barbell as defined in claim 1 including at least one retainer on each end of said bar for limiting movement of said means. 